Prospect Podcast

Trump’s inauguration, Musk’s salute and the special relationship

January 22, 2025
Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

After Trump’s second inauguration, Ellen and Alona are joined by Labour peer and diplomat Catherine Ashton. Catherine was formerly leader of the House of Lords, as well as the EU's first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security policy.

She shares her experience working with previous US administrations, and what she’s expecting to see from the special relationship. In the past, members of Starmer’s cabinet have called the president a “buffoon” and a “neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”. Will this come back to bite them?

The president’s choice of inauguration guests (Starmer: out, Giorgia Meloni: in) tellingly shows new alliances being forged with the right wing in Europe. But what will Trump 2.0 mean for European defence?

Plus, banger or dud: Ellen and Alona question whether “Blue Monday” is just a marketing gimmick, or something more.